One night this semester, at a bar on St. Denis, I was watching the closing set of Growve, a jam session I regularly attend. Some professional musicians barged in at the last minute, ecstatic and hugging friends they had not seen in a while. They were there to hang out,[Read More…]
Tag: jazz
For a better future, McGill must learn from Black history
Every February, Black History Month comes around with growing support, yet there is still room for growth on behalf of institutions and individuals. Oftentimes, corporations and institutions appear to care about Black history, while truly not doing much good for anyone. These institutions shape Black History Month increasingly around Black[Read More…]
Evolution and 9 Horses’ ‘Omegah’
The genre-bending music of New York City’s chamber jazz trio 9 Horses proves that just three instruments are capable of creating anything from prog rock to folk music, with sounds both melodic and jarring. At least, it does for composer and mandolin player Joseph Brent, violinist Sara Caswell, and bassist[Read More…]
‘Approximately Close’ evokes the magic of in-person performances
On Nov. 19, Ballets Jazz Montreal dance company performed Approximately Close—Quand le temps n’est presque plus, choreographed by Ermanno Sbezzo. The performance allowed dancers to express themselves safely during a disappointing season. In the midst of the pandemic, online performances have struggled to recreate the magic of set designs, costuming,[Read More…]
NBA Playoff Predictions
With the NBA regular season coming to a close, take a look at The McGill Tribune Playoff Predictions.
The Kalmunity Vibe Collective brings improvised jazz to Cafe Campus
“Chill is explosive,” is the opening line of the weekly Tuesday night showcase of the Kalmunity Vibe Collective. This idea rang true throughout the three hour set. Held at Petit Campus, the lesser known first floor of Café Campus, Kalmunity’s unique approach to improvised jazz is as captivating as it[Read More…]
Modern made vintage: A conversation with Adam Kubota of Postmodern Jukebox
As described in a 2015 interview with the group’s founder Scott Bradlee, the New York-based musical collective Postmodern Jukebox “puts pop music in a time machine.” Led by Scott Bradlee and joined by a host of talented performers, Postmodern Jukebox has gained popularity over the past few years by releasing[Read More…]
Pop rhetoric: The marriage of hip hop and jazz on rap’s periphery
In 2011, three jazz students at Toronto’s Humber College performed a piece inspired by rap collective Odd Future. Their instructors promptly declared that the piece had no artistic value. Undiscouraged, the young musicians uploaded their arrangement to YouTube under the name “The Odd Future Sessions.” As it happened, Odd Future’s[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Got Blues?
“I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley/ To do black music so selfishly/ And use it to get myself wealthy” — Eminem
McGill professor brings the noise at Montreal’s l’Off Jazz Festival
For years, trumpeter, composer, professional bandleader, and McGill jazz professor Joe Sullivan has been instructing McGill students and connecting them with the greater Montreal music community. When he performs at the Segal Centre this weekend with the rest of the Joe Sullivan Big Band—plus special guests Lorne Lofsky and Kirk[Read More…]
